Ch#20
제20화
“That’s it! That’s more like it!”
The Heavenly Demon burst into hearty laughter, looking highly pleased with my response.
“Only the world’s greatest fool would decline when this seat offers to teach them personally.”
I had almost become the world’s greatest fool.
Swept up in the mood, my impulsive answer had actually worked to my benefit.
In that case, should I push my luck a bit more?
“If possible, please teach me something that looks impressive!”
“What? Something impressive? Hahaha!”
Repeating my words, the Heavenly Demon roared with laughter once again.
I hadn’t said it to be funny, but since the start seemed promising, I cheered inwardly.
“Something impressive, you say… I wonder what would suit you.”
To my surprise, the Heavenly Demon actually fell into deep thought over my casual remark.
I thought he had offered to teach me martial arts out of pure amusement, but was that not the case?
“Yes, that would be perfect!”
After pondering for a long while with a furrowed brow, the Heavenly Demon finally spoke.
“The Demon Phoenix Ascension Art (魔凰飛天功). This is the movement technique this seat shall teach you.”
Excuse me? What did you say?
I almost screamed aloud.
I never, in my wildest dreams, expected that specific martial art to come out of the Heavenly Demon’s mouth.
This is insane! The Demon Phoenix Ascension Art!
Is it really okay for me to learn this?
A mixture of shock and sheer joy left me on the verge of losing my mind.
And for good reason—the Demon Phoenix Ascension Art was the signature martial art of the Demonic Empress (魔后).
She was the only woman in the history of the Demonic Cult whose status rivaled that of the Heavenly Demon.
During a past era when the Cult fell into chaos due to the absence of the Heavenly Demon, this heroine suddenly appeared to hold the Demonic Cult together.
The members of the Cult had united in praising her as the Demonic Empress, offering her their absolute loyalty.
The legendary empress who eventually yielded the throne to the next Heavenly Demon and vanished into the annals of history was none other than the Demonic Empress.
I remembered her clearly because she had been briefly mentioned in the original novel.
To think that I, who had marveled at her greatness from just a few lines of text, would be inheriting her martial art.
“The beginning of any movement technique is to make the body light.”
The Heavenly Demon raised both arms and bent his knees slightly, adopting a highly springy stance.
It resembled a horse stance, but it was set higher.
“What are you doing? Why aren’t you copying me?”
“Ah? Yes, sir!”
Even then, my mind was still in a daze.
I couldn’t even remember how I had ended up back at the training grounds.
“This seat is not a leisurely man. Pay close attention.”
He was right. An opportunity like this would never come again.
When else would I ever get to learn martial arts directly from the Heavenly Demon?
Suppressing my pounding heart as best as I could, I hastily mimicked his stance.
“The Phoenix Spreads Its Wings (鳳凰展翅). Lightly spread your wings, circulate your inner energy through a full cycle according to the mnemonic, and send it down to your Yongquan acupoint.”
Following his instructions, I drew inner energy from my danjeon, quickly circulated it through my Conception and Governor Vessels, and guided it along the acupoints as the mnemonic dictated until it finally reached the Yongquan acupoint on the soles of my feet.
“Soaring into the Heavens (騰空而起). The phoenix spreads its wings and takes flight. Flap with all your might and gently push your internal force out through the Yongquan acupoint.”
Perhaps my sword training had helped, because I managed to push the inner energy to my Yongquan acupoint with surprising ease, lightly jumping in place.
“The martial principles of the Demon Phoenix Ascension Art (武理) are elasticity (彈), fluidity (柔), and harmony (合).”
An explosive pop!
The moment the Heavenly Demon finished speaking, an explosive sound erupted from the soles of my feet.
“Yikes!”
In an instant, my vision shifted drastically.
Wondering what was happening, I looked around only to see the tops of the trees.
Sensing something bizarre, I looked down to find the ground far beneath me.
In other words, I was currently suspended all by myself at a dizzying height.
“G-Grandma!”
The moment I realized this, my true qi faltered, and my body began to plummet toward the earth.
I had never done it before, but I wondered if this was what bungee jumping felt like.
Aside from the sheer vertigo, my stomach churned, and a wave of nausea washed over me.
A sharp whoosh!
Just then, something flew through the air and caught my flailing feet.
Thanks to that, I barely managed to regain my balance. Looking down, I saw a thin tree branch supporting my weight.
Whew, I survived.
“T-Thank you!”
In my sheer desperation, I had thanked the Heavenly Demon without even realizing it.
If not for his help, my life would have come to an abrupt end right then and there.
Standing precariously on the branch as if walking a tightrope, a sudden realization struck me.
By what power was this tree branch floating in midair?
Could this be the legendary Sword Control Art (以氣馭劍) that I had only ever heard of—no, read about?
No, wait.
Since I was riding a branch, was it Sword Flight (御劍飛行)?
Incredible!
Whatever it was, I was currently flying through the sky.
Yes, this was exactly the kind of movement technique I had always wanted!
This is insane. Absolutely insane. Oh my goodness!
Even though it hadn’t been accomplished solely by my own strength, I was utterly captivated by the charm of a movement technique experienced for the first time in my life.
I will absolutely make this mine!
I dedicated myself to learning with a passion so intense I doubted I had ever focused this hard in my entire life.
Perhaps finding my dedication admirable, the Heavenly Demon taught me with utmost sincerity, just as he had promised.
A loud crack!
I shot forward, kicking up a thick cloud of dust.
With a single step, I had covered at least one jang—nearly three meters.
This is truly amazing, isn’t it?
The Demonic Empress’s martial art was so incredible that the only word to describe it was ‘insane.’
“Do you remember what I said the martial principle and subtle essence of the Demon Phoenix Ascension Art are?”
“It is fluidity.”
I replied, curling my body as softly and fluidly as possible.
“And elasticity.”
The moment I kicked off the ground with my bent knees, I exploded my internal force through my Yongquan acupoint.
A violent gust!
The surrounding scenery was violently swept backward.
“Harmonize the two.”
A springy, resilient dash that blended softness and strength would surely look like the relentless flapping of a phoenix, the king of all birds.
Ah, this is so much fun!
As I continued to practice, a strong urge to leap right out of the training grounds welled up within me.
This place no longer felt spacious.
I wanted to unleash the Demon Phoenix Ascension Art to my heart’s content in a much vaster space.
Did he notice my yearning?
“Would you like to try climbing the back mountain?”
“Really? Am I allowed to do that?”
“Since you’ve learned it, you ought to put it to use. Is that not so?”
Jeok I-geon had been watching from the very beginning as the Heavenly Demon taught me martial arts.
At that, the Heavenly Demon glanced subtly at his son, as if asking for his thoughts.
“Will you be alright?”
If I sensed a hint of worry in Jeok I-geon’s tone, I must be losing my mind, right?
Or perhaps my judgment was slightly clouded because I was so excited about the Demonic Empress’s martial art.
“Of course I’ll be fine. When you practice martial arts, your skin might get torn and your bones might break! I’m fully prepared for that!”
I babbled on, spouting something I had read in some novel as if it were my own profound philosophy.
So, if you have any tact at all, won’t you just let me go?
My body is practically itching to move!
“If that is your attitude, then fine. Let us go.”
“Let’s… go? Do you mean you’re coming with me, Young Master?”
“My father can hardly accompany you.”
“W-Well, that’s true.”
Had I already developed a sense of closeness just from learning a single martial art?
To think I actually entertained the thought of going out with the Heavenly Demon; my audacity had certainly grown lately.
“Then, Father, we shall return.”
Jeok I-geon didn’t even give me time to refuse.
I had intended to say that I could easily go by myself, but contrary to my thoughts, my body was already running after him.
“Heh, youth is indeed a splendid thing.”
The moment Seol-ha and Jeok I-geon departed, the training grounds fell into a dead silence.
“To grasp the subtle essence of the Demon Phoenix Ascension Art in just a few days… She is a fascinating child the more I look at her.”
For some reason, a deep, lingering regret filled the Heavenly Demon’s eyes as he stared beyond the wall Seol-ha had just leaped over.
“Do they not look so alike? Both in appearance and personality. She was exactly like that when she was about her age.”
Even though there was clearly no one around, the Heavenly Demon spoke and asked questions as if conversing with someone.
“If her daughter were still alive, she would be around that age by now.”
“…Do you regret it?”
Suddenly, a voice echoed from the empty air.
“I wonder… is this feeling truly regret?”
The Heavenly Demon let out a soft chuckle.
“I do not know. But one thing is certain: even if I were to go back to that time, I would make the exact same choice. When a man is blinded by affection, he can become a fool. Even when he knows it will become the leash around his neck.”
It was an act committed in the heat of youthful passion.
Back then, he truly had not known that winning a woman’s heart would be this difficult.
Nor did he know that he would carry that heart with him for the rest of his life.
